What We Do
Foodborne infectious diseases, such as listeriosis, pose a health risk to the population. Although listeriosis remains a rare infection, it particularly affects vulnerable individuals, for whom it can have serious consequences. The goal of epidemiological surveillance of listeriosis is therefore to identify sources of contamination that pose a risk to the population and to prevent new cases from occurring.
In this context, Santé Publique France’s priorities include participating in the surveillance, detection, and investigation of listeriosis cases and outbreaks in France, in collaboration with the National Reference Center (CNR) for Listeria, and preventing the disease.
Epidemiological Surveillance of Listeriosis
Listeriosis has been classified as a “notifiable disease” since 1998.
Surveillance of human listeriosis in France is conducted jointly by Santé publique France through mandatory reporting, which allows for the collection of clinical characteristics of patients using a specific notification form, and by the National Reference Center (CNR) for Listeria, located at the Pasteur Institute in Paris, which conducts microbiological surveillance of the strains sent to it by the clinical laboratories that isolated them. In addition to this transmission of clinical and microbiological data, a food-related investigation is systematically conducted using a specific questionnaire for every case of listeriosis.
Mandatory reporting allows for the tracking of listeriosis trends in France.
The primary objective of microbiological surveillance is to detect clusters of cases or outbreaks by identifying cases of listeriosis linked to strains with the same microbiological characteristics.
The systematic food investigation of cases aims to identify a source of contamination for microbiologically linked cases.
If a food product is suspected of being contaminated (based on the epidemiological investigation), Santé publique France may activate the “Listeria Task Force,” which includes the National Reference Center for Listeria (CNR des Listeria), the Directorate General for Health (DGS), the Health Emergencies Unit of the Directorate General for Food (DGAL), and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES). Coordination among these agencies enables the implementation of necessary measures (inspection of a facility, sampling of the food chain, withdrawal or recall of contaminated batches, etc.).
Definition of cases to be reported and notified
| Reported cases | Type of notification form | Notified cases | Criteria for reporting and notification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confirmed cases | Simple downloadable form | Confirmed cases | Confirmed case: isolation of Listeria monocytogenes in a clinical specimen (blood, CSF, amniotic fluid, placenta, etc.). |
Notification Form
Listeriosis Food Questionnaire
Informing the public about the reporting of notifiable diseases
Surveillance partners
The National Reference Center for Listeria
Pasteur Institute
Director: Prof. Marc LECUIT
Tel.: 01 40 61
30 29
Email: marc.lecuit@pasteur.fr
Address: Pasteur Institute, Unit of Infection Biology 25-28, rue du Docteur Roux - 75724 Paris Cedex 15
Secretariat: 01 40 61 37 67 - Fax: 01 40 61 35 67 - Email: listeria@pasteur.fr
To learn more about the missions of the National Reference Centers, click here
Measures to Prevent Listeriosis
By identifying the foods responsible for clusters of cases and outbreaks of listeriosis, Santé publique France’s efforts help improve food safety and prevent the risk of listeriosis.
If a food product is suspected of being contaminated (based on the epidemiological investigation), Santé publique France can activate the “Listeria Task Force,” which includes the National Reference Center for Listeria (CNR des Listeria), the Directorate General for Health (DGS), the Health Emergencies Unit of the Directorate General for Food (DGAL), and the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES). Coordination among these agencies enables the implementation of necessary measures (inspection of a facility, sampling of the food chain, withdrawal or recall of contaminated batches, etc.).
In addition, Santé publique France reiterates a few principles for preventing the risk of listeriosis:
caution regarding the consumption of foods most frequently contaminated and adherence to hygiene rules when handling and preparing food;
specific food safety guidelines for pregnant women: see the pregnancy nutrition guide.
In relation to
Antibiotic resistance
thematic dossier
Antibiotic resistance renders one or more antibiotics ineffective against a bacterial infection. This phenomenon can make it difficult, or even impossible, to treat certain infections.
